This grilled turkey pesto mozzarella sandwich with fresh mozzarella, tomato, and sourdough bread is the ultimate turkey sandwich.
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This gourmet grilled cheese is a deli-quality recipe. Use thick, carved turkey breast or ultra-thin slices. Thick turkey can be sliced to order at the deli or purchased pre-packaged. Look for labels like "carved" or "carving board" in the lunch meat section. Better yet, use leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
This is the perfect sandwich with vine-ripened tomatoes and summertime heirloom tomatoes. It's also a great way to use leftover turkey at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Why You’ll Love This Pesto Sandwich Recipe
- Fast: Make this recipe in 10-15 minutes.
- Few ingredients: Only 6 ingredients (plus salt and pepper).
- Easy to make: This recipe is perfect for all home cooks, even beginners.
Serve with homemade potato chips, lemon pepper fries, or pasta salad.
Love this turkey pesto sandwich recipe? For more delicious pesto recipes, try tuna pesto pasta or slow cooker pesto ranch chicken.
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Ingredients
- Sourdough bread: Sourdough is perfect for grilled cheese or any grilled sandwich. It is a healthier alternative to white bread.
- Pesto: Prepared basil pesto is found in a jar on the pasta aisle or in a tub by the refrigerated pasta. Filippo Berio is a classic pesto with basil and parmesan. Note: pesto contains pine nuts, see substitutions below for alternatives.
- Sliced turkey: Thick carved turkey or ultra-thin sliced turkey.
- Fresh tomato: Look for any large, ripe red tomato. Also keep your eyes peeled for tomatoes labeled as beefsteak or heirloom.
- Fresh mozzarella cheese: This can be found in the specialty cheese section of the grocery store. It is usually found in a ball or log shape, whole or sliced.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted will do.
- Salt and pepper: To taste.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Turkey Pesto Sandwiches
Assemble the sandwich: On both slices of bread, spread pesto evenly to the insides.
Top the pesto on one slice with turkey.
Next, add the tomato. Salt and pepper the tomato to taste.
Tip: Allow the tomato slices to sit on a paper towel for several minutes before preparing your sandwich to absorb excess water.
Top the tomato with the mozzarella slices.
Close the sandwich and apply half of the butter to one side, spreading it evenly to the edges. Salted or unsalted butter will work well.
In a pan on medium heat, grill the sandwich buttered side down for 3-5 minutes or until golden. Butter the other side of the bread with the remaining butter before flipping and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Both sides will be golden.
Cut and serve immediately.
Substitutions
Customize this turkey pesto sandwich to make it your own:
- Sourdough - Try sliced brioche, rye bread, pumpernickel, Texas toast, or your favorite bread. Ciabatta rolls are also delicious. You can toast in a skillet with a little butter or olive oil.
- Meat - Instead of deli turkey, try Thanksgiving turkey leftovers, chicken, or even leftover ham slices.
- Pesto - You can use store-bought pesto, homemade pesto, or instead of traditional basil pesto, try vegan basil pesto, homemade nut-free pesto, or sun-dried tomato pesto.
- Cheese - Instead of fresh mozzarella, try shredded whole milk mozzarella, provolone, American, mild cheddar, shredded parmesan cheese, goat cheese, provolone cheese, or Havarti.
- Tomato - Roasted red peppers are a great substitute. If using a roasted red pepper, you can slice it thinly.
- Butter - Mayo is excellent for grilled sandwiches. Many prefer mayonnaise over butter for an even, golden brown color.
What types of bread work best?
The choice of bread can greatly affect the taste and texture of your turkey sandwich recipe. Popular options include ciabatta, sourdough, or whole grain bread. These types of bread provide a sturdy base that holds up well against the fillings. If you prefer a lighter option, you can also use wraps or pita bread. Ultimately, choose a bread that you enjoy and that complements the flavors of the sandwich.
Other cooking methods
Try one of these alternative cooking methods:
- Broil - To make grilled cheese in the oven, set it to broil and move the rack toward the top of the oven. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Butter the sandwich and place it on the baking sheet butter side down. Butter the top of the sandwich and broil for about 3 minutes, watching the sandwich closely. Flip the sandwich before cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
- Panini press - To make a turkey pesto panini recipe, you'll need a panini press to make this. Add your buttered sandwich to a preheated panini press (medium heat). Butter the top of the sandwich and close the press, operating according to the manufacturer's instructions. Cook for 3-5 minutes for brown sides and melty cheese.
- Air fryer - Add your butter sandwich to the air fryer basket. Butter the top of the sandwich and cook at 360°F for 3-5 minutes. Flip the sandwich and cook for another 3-5 minutes. For an air fryer convection oven with a sear plate, follow the same instructions.
Top tip
Adjust the ingredient quantities as needed to fit the size of your bread slices. This recipe was developed using large sourdough bread slices (pictured), but for smaller sandwich bread, less pesto, turkey tomato, mozzarella, and butter will be required.
📖 Recipe
Turkey Pesto Mozzarella Sandwich
Video
Ingredients
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 2 tablespoons pesto
- 2 ounces sliced turkey
- 2 slices fresh tomato
- 2 ounces fresh mozzarella sliced
- 1-½ tablespoons salted butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- On both slices of bread, spread pesto evenly to the insides.
- On one slice, layer the turkey, tomato (salt and pepper to taste), and mozzarella slices.
- Close the sandwich and apply half of the butter to one side, spreading it evenly to the edges. In a pan on medium heat, grill the sandwich buttered side down for 3-5 minutes or until golden. Butter the other side of the bread using the remaining butter before flipping and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- Cut and serve.
Notes
Alternative cooking methods
Broil - To make it in the oven, set it to broil and move the rack toward the top of the oven. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Butter the sandwich and place it on the baking sheet butter side down. Butter the top of the sandwich and broil for about 3 minutes, watching the sandwich closely. Flip the sandwich before cooking for another 2-3 minutes. Panini press - Add your buttered sandwich to a preheated panini press (medium heat. Butter the top of the sandwich and close the press, operating according to the manufacturer's instructions. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Air fryer - Add your butter sandwich to the air fryer basket. Butter the top of the sandwich and cook at 360°F for 3-5 minutes. Flip the sandwich and cook for another 3-5 minutes. For an air fryer convection oven with a sear plate, follow the same instructions.Nutrition
If you enjoy this delicious sandwich, let me know what easy recipes you'd like to see next.
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